Accent Colours
Accent colours are secondary colours used sparingly against a dominant palette to create emphasis, contrast and visual interest.
A common working proportion is roughly sixty per cent dominant colour, thirty per cent secondary, and ten per cent accent. The accent is the smallest quantity and does the most work, precisely because it is rare within the scheme.
In interiors, accents typically appear in joinery, tapware, tiling, a feature wall, or in soft furnishings. Restricting the accent to elements that can be changed later is a practical hedge, since accents date faster than neutrals.
Externally, accents are usually applied to entry doors, window frames, screens or soffits, providing relief against a restrained wall palette without disrupting how the building sits in its street.